Two of the Same
by xolovebirdox
Summary: Max and Fang were both made to save the world. But when they are told that neither can save it while the other is still alive, will one of them have to sacrifice themselves to save the planet?
1. Love and War

**Hello, just wanted to thank you for reading! This is my first fanfic, and I hope that it is up to standards.**

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**Disclaimer: Don't own any characters, yadda yadda. James Patterson owns all.**

* * *

"Maaaaaax, I'm hungry!" a voice called from behind me. I rolled my eyes and flipped around in the sky, which is a lot harder than it sounds. We had been flying for a few hours now, just to make sure that no one would track us after our recent escape from the Lerner School for Gifted Children (a.k.a. the Mutant House of Mutants for Mutated Kids). I still didn't know where we were headed, but I was following the directions given to me by the voice, which had been suspiciously silent after we had taken off.

I couldn't blame any of the kids for being hungry though-we hadn't eaten a proper meal for us Avian-Americans for a couple of days. And plus, flying burns off our energy. _Fast._

"Okay, Gazzy, we're going to land in a few minutes. Just hang tight for a bit, okay?" I said, exasperated. As I spun back around to take the lead, my eyes met a pair of cool black ones. After a moment, Fang faced ahead again.

Things had been awkward between us since the…thing. You know, when I accused him of "throwing himself at everything wearing a skirt?" Yeah, that's the one. We had sort of gone back to the way we were, but I still caught myself staring at him once in a while. Okay, a lot more than once in a while. But I'd never let _him_ know that.

I found a nice clearing with a lot of forest surrounding it. "Let's land here, guys," I shouted into the wind, and immediately began to descend. The flock did the same around me. I landed on the ground and began set camp.

A few hours later, after a fulfilling meal of almost-perfectly-cooked sausages (courtesy of Iggy), the Flock laid down for sleep. I decided to take the first watch. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, what with all the Fang on my mind-

What? Did I just think that? Maybe I _do_ have some stuff to figure out…

I sat on the lowest branch and began scanning the area for immediate danger to occupy my mind. Just then, I felt a cool breath on my neck. "Can we talk?" Fang asked. Without waiting for my reply, he lightly jumped down next to me.

"What?" I asked warily. I have to admit, I was a bit suspicious about the fact that Fang wanted to talk. How often does that happen?

"I need to know…" he began. It was obvious that he was struggling for words. "I need to know how you feel about me. He was getting to that? AGAIN? You have to hand it to the guy, he's persistent.

"Fang, I'm not really sure. I mean," I blustered. Augh, why couldn't I just tell him? I liked him, but what would happen? I couldn't tell him how I felt without putting our family in jeopardy. "What about the Flock? What happens if we don't work? I don't want us splitting up again."

"Max." He spoke my name softly, but with power. "I would never leave you again. I could never leave you. I…think I'm in love you." He said this all in a matter of seconds, but it felt like hours. Time seemed to freeze. Fang loved me? Fang loved me! Was this good? What would happen between us? Oh, right, he was expecting me to say something!

"Um," the Great Maximum Ride replied. Seriously, that was ALL I could think of. But Fang must have been able to read the emotions in my eyes, because he tentatively cupped his hand under my chin and lifted my head up so that I looked him in the eyes. They were cool and impassive, as usual, but only I could detect something stirring underneath. He slowly drew his lips closer to me, and we kissed.

Electricity flowed through my body, and I felt more alive than I ever had. It wasn't like the other times that he had kissed me; then, he had been unsure and tentative. Now, he was gentle, but I knew he wasn't letting me go again. And somehow, I didn't _want_ to be let go. I just wanted to stay like this for a while longer.

He pulled slightly away, only to whisper in my ear, "I don't want to lose you again, Max." I looked up into his eyes, ready to finally speak.

"Fang-" I began to say, but was cut off as I fell limp in his arms.

* * *

Great. Just great. I finally convinced Max that I was the one for her, and now this. I can't believe that I didn't see this coming. Nothing can ever go right for us, can it?

Speaking of _this_, what exactly is happening here? I gently placed Max's unconscious form on the ground and stood in front of her. I had just gotten Max-I wasn't going to lose her to some ambush. As I placed her on the ground, I noticed a small yellow dart sticking out of her shoulder blade. Crap. They had tranquilizers. I slowly rose and faced my enemies.

Man, was I surprised. They were _Erasers_. They were back. I snarled as ferociously as I could, but I have to admit, I was scared. One raised a gun at me, ready to put me down.

With the few seconds I had left of consciousness before he shot, I scanned the grounds, looking for the Flock. Unfortunately, they were being led away by other Erasers. How had they snuck up on us and been able to chain the Flock in their sleep. And why were they only targeting Max and me? It seemed that they were just taking the Flock along for a ride.

Suddenly, the head Eraser smacked it down. "Wait, Jim. I want to _play_ with this one." He smiled this horrible smile that made me wish I was already unconscious. But then I saw Angel's face pleading with me as she was being shoved into a truck. Right then, I knew I had to fight. I lunged at the head Eraser and heard a crack as my fist connected with his nose.

He screamed and clawed at my side, but I was left with only a minor scrape. I kicked his shin and brought him to the ground crying. I punched the next one in the chest and twisted its arm around in a circle. He yelped in pain. I thought that I had this fight in the bag, until I looked around.

I was surrounded by at least twenty Erasers. There was no way I could win. But I had to keep fighting. I jabbed the Eraser I was currently working on with my elbow. He went down without fight, but three more came over and began ganging up on me. As I kicked one Eraser in the one spot on a guy where it would hurt _the most_, another bit my shoulder. I felt blood dripping down, but I kept on going. The third one clawed at my side, and I felt feathers fall of my wings.

Then the leader came up to me. As I fell to the ground, I couldn't help but be proud of my work. His entire face was disfigured, and his eye had a mottled bruise above it. He looked angry.

"When are you going to learn, Bird-child? You'll never win," he snarled at me as he punched my face rapidly and with force. I saw Max being dragged away, her beautiful face covered in dirt. I looked over at her body, and was relieved when I didn't see any damage. _At least they hadn't hurt her and the Flock, _I thought. Another Eraser came over me with a gun, and I fell mercifully into blackness.


	2. Awakening

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I woke up to the sound of nothingness. Kind of a strange sound to wake up to when you're an Avian-American who's always on the run, huh? Before I even opened my eyes, I knew something was up. There was always _something_ going on, even if it's just a bird chirping or wind blowing. This kind of suffocating silence-it's just unnatural. A thought zoomed into my head, and I slowly opened my eyes, my worst fears confirmed.

I was alone in a laboratory. Not the school, because the Flock blew that up a LONG time ago. This was just another nameless lab that I had to deal with. Where was the Flock? Could they have only taken me? The last thing that I remembered was Fang's lips on mine…but I couldn't think about that now. I quickly scanned the room to see if anything of interest came to me.

White walls, white tiles that were covered in off-white mildew, white door with no knob on the inside and bolted shut with silver steel bolts, black pile of feathers on the floor, another white wall-wait, _feathers_? I quickly walked across the tile, noticing that my shoes left muddy footprints in my wake. As I neared the dark mass on the floor, I was surer and surer of my suspicion.

Fang was lying on the ground, unconscious and looking a hell of a lot worse than I felt. Feathers were ripped off his wings, leaving bare spots in multiple places. His pants were torn at the left knee, exposing a nasty cut that was pretty deep. I gasped when my eyes moved to his shoulder. It was caked in blood and had a bit of bite marks around it. There were claw marks surrounding it, and it looked like the bite had dug deep into his skin. I was appalled that they hadn't even had the decency to bandage it! I looked around for a first aid kid, and found none. Furious, I ripped the bottom hem of my shirt to form a bandage.

As I began to wrap his shoulder, I couldn't help looking at his face. His face was covered in yellowing bruises, and he had a cut above his eyebrow. Rage coursed through my veins. Who could have done this to Fang? He was an awesome fighter, and though I hate to admit it, he was probably a stronger fighter than me. Whoever had this had to be _tough_. Or crazy. Or both.

Finally, I was done. I sat there, not moving him in fear that broken bones could be involved. At that moment, he began to groan. "Fang?" I questioned his waking body. "Can you hear me? It's me, Max."

"Max?" He said quietly, and I knew how much pain he was in. His eyes opened, and he took in my form. "You're okay?"

I helped him into a sitting position and he leaned next to me against the stark white wall before I spoke. "Yeah, I'm fine." Truthfully, I hadn't even thought about my health after I saw Fang. It was like he mattered more than I did. I was flattered that he asked about me above all other things. "Do you know what happened? I can't remember anything after…"

He smirked slightly, and my pulse quickened. I was so glad that he was okay. "Erasers snuck up on us while everyone else was sleeping and we were…preoccupied." He smirked here too, and I scowled. Then he grew serious again. "They captured the Flock without even waking them, which makes me think that these are newer models. You were shot with a dart, and everyone else was lead away without a fight. It was like they were only after you and me." Fang spoke low, but powerfully.

"Why are you beat up so badly? No offence, but you look horrible." Fang smiled, and then moaned in pain. His face had contorted and he had disrupted one of his many injuries.

"I tried to protect the Flock," he stated simply. I nodded and scooted a bit closer to him. "Speaking of, where are they?"

I shook my head. "I woke up right before you did. But if what you said was true about them only wanting us, then they'll be okay." I said this as confidently as I could, but Fang saw through me and smiled with his eyes. Just then, the knob-less door began to beep. A few seconds later, the bolts automatically unlocked and the door pulled itself back into the wall, emitting an eerie glow that dyed the white walls a ghastly green color. A shadowy figure stepped loudly into the room, his shoes clopping on the tile.

"Jeb?" I questioned in disbelief. I thought that he was on our side. I shared a glance with Fang, and I read his expressions as well as if they were my own; in fact, they mirrored mine. "What are you doing here? And where is the Flock?"

"The Flock is fine, Maximum, and will be if you two cooperate. And though you may think differently, I _am_ on the good side-the side to better the world." As I struggled to find words to argue this fact, he spoke again. "You two are the problem."

"Huuuuhh?" I asked with all the dignity and eloquence of any grown adult. Fang grabbed my hand and squeezed it, and I was newly glad to have him. I couldn't ever lose him again.

"Let me explain. You, Max, were created equally with the Flock. We then decided to add special genes to _one_ of you, in case the world needs saving. Unfortunately, there were disagreements about which of you should get the honor. You were not fully developed yet, so we could not go off of personalities. Most agreed that Max should be the savior, because you were the oldest.

"However, a few scientists said Fang should do it, since he was a guy." My mind reeled. Those sexist pigs! Just because I wasn't a guy, they were going to trust all of the world-saving to FANG? No offence, but I don't think that he could handle the craziness of having a voice in his head as well as I could-which wasn't very well, mind you. Fang's grip tightened even harder, and Jeb prattled on. "Since the majority agreed on Max, we gave you the genes. But one major Fang supporter slipped the genes in when no one was around. You two are _both_ designed to save the world."

Well, this was news. I looked at Fang's face, and almost doubled over laughing. His expression was priceless! He didn't get surprised easily, but when he did, BOY was it good! I turned back to Jeb. "So let me get this straight. Fang and I are equal? Why does this matter? And why now?"

"We only just realized what this scientist did. He was older, and as he was about to die, he told it to one of his best friends. Unfortunately for him, the man was also one of the most trusted scientists, and he immediately informed all of us about the situation. Obviously, plans were put into action.

Max, Fang, you are both incredibly powerful and hold the fate of the world in each of your hands. But you are linked in more than that you both belong to the Flock." He took a breath. "You two are balanced. As one goes toward saving the world, the other goes toward destroying it. Neither can fulfill your destiny of saving the world while the other is living."

I realized what Jeb was saying, but it wouldn't process at first. As soon as it did, it hit me.

Either Fang or I would have to die. And if Fang did, I would have to kill him.


	3. Disbelief

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As my mouth hung agape, my mind raced at the speed of light. I went through a mental list of the facts. Fang and I were made to save the world? Check. The closer I got to saving the world, the eviler Fang became, and vice versa? Check. In order for the world to survive, one of us would have to die? Check.

My brain spat out the cold, hard facts, but my heart went numb. How could this happen? Why _now_, of all times? I felt my tear ducts working overtime, but I held the waterworks back, willing myself not to cry. I had to show my strength.

And I was apparently doing just that. As my mind went on its little rampage, my grip on Fang's hand had tightened and tightened until his knuckles were turning white and his bones were almost touching. He gently rubbed circles on my hang, loosening my grip, and I looked into his face. I saw the same emotions that I was dealing with reflected into his midnight eyes.

I turned to face Jeb, who was standing patiently for an answer. "Do you honestly expect me and Fang to just believe you? After everything you've done? You may say that you're on the good side, Jeb, but how can we trust you? How do we know that you're not just playing us so that the Flock loses a leader?" Throughout my little speech, I saw Jeb's resolve crumbling. Had he really thought that this would be an _easy_ fight for him to win?

Then Jeb spoke. "Max, I thought that you would see that I am telling the truth. I _have_ changed, and I am doing this for the welfare of the world. If you both live, you will either wind up killing each other later in a battle of good versus evil. The world would be in total chaos. Don't you see, Max? This is the only way to keep the world safe." He was now _pleading_ with me, practically begging on his hands and knees. I snorted, ready to give him a piece of my mind, when Fang interrupted me.

"Can Max and I have a chance to speak about this? It's kind of a bid deal," Fang pointed out. Jeb nodded, obviously satisfied with this response. He turned to the door and lightly placed his hang upon it. Within seconds, the door opened with a _swish_ and he was gone. I turned to face Fang.

"You don't seriously believe him, do you?" When Fang's expression remained emotionless, I became exasperated. "Fang, he's playing us! If he gets one of us out of the way, then the rest of the Flock is an easy target!"

Fang replied quietly, "I don't think so. He has the Flock-he doesn't need to kill one of us to get them." Damn Fang and his logic. I hadn't thought of it from this angle, but what reason did Jeb have to lie? He had the Flock, he had us; if he had wanted us dead, I wouldn't be thinking anything right now. Fang continued, "What if what Jeb said is true? What if one of us…has to die?"

I had never heard Fang have so much raw emotion in his voice. Hurt, anger, fear, worry, confusion, desperation, and …a hint of love? I could tell that he was really scared about this whole thing, and I was glad that I wasn't alone. I grabbed Fang's shoulder.

"Fang, I'm not going anywhere, and neither are you. We're going to stay together in this. We can work out this whole 'I'm good, you're evil,' nonsense." I smiled slightly, but Fang would not meet my eyes.

"Max, this is selfish. We are sacrificing the entire _world_ for each other. Don't you think that that's a bit much? A bit selfish?" I was starting to see his point, but I wasn't about to give up on this fight. There had to be a way. But for now, I was willing to see the other side.

Disguising my nervousness, I replied, "Okay, we'll hear Jeb out." Fang smirked slightly, but I could see the anxiety in his eyes. Which one of us would give up his or her life to save the world? And almost worse, which one would be left behind?

Just then, the door silently opened, and Jeb's footsteps echoed through the room. "Max, Fang, I am glad that you'll listen." I gave him my most heart-stopping glare, but he continued on. "We have decided that since only one can live, we should keep the strongest one. A multitude of tests, checking everything from strength to intelligence, have been designed for you two. In a sense, it is sort of like the Olympics, where the winner gets an award."

He smiled hopefully, eager to see our reaction. I, however, was horrified. They were making our death into a _game_? How evil could you get? They were treating this like another test at the School, and I almost wished it was one. At least there, you had a chance of surviving-they had never actually wanted us to die. And I had always looked forward to seeing the other Flock members at the end of the day. Now, I have a 50% chance of losing; my consolation prize, a one way ticket to certain death. And even if I did win, I would have to live without my other half. My best friend, my love, my partner-in-crime, my right hand man. I didn't think I could do it.

Apparently seeing our reactions as an agreement, Jeb smiled and said "The tests start tomorrow morning. The will last about three days and the Flock will be watching." His expression abruptly turned sad, and in that moment, I saw how much pain this was apparently causing him. His own daughter, and her best friend, being pitted against each other! "Spend your time wisely." And with that, he was gone.

Tears began streaming down my face, out of my control. I looked at Fang and was shocked-trickles of water were cutting a clear mark down his dirt-covered face. He took his large thumb, calloused with years of fighting and outdoors-work, and gingerly wiped the tears from my face. I buried my face into his chest. I don't know how long we sat there crying-me sobbing into his shoulder, slowly soaking it with salty tears, and him rubbing my back, murmuring incoherent words into my ear.

Eventually, I rose up. My eyes were dry, devoid of even one lonesome tear, and his face was solemn. I was filled with an overwhelming sadness. In three days, I will never see his beautiful face again. Three days goes by in the blink of an eye. Seeing my distress, Fang gently took my face in his hands.

"Shhhhh, Max. It'll be okay. We'll figure something out." But I could hear his wavering tone, and I knew that he didn't think we could get out of this. And neither did I. Fang kissed me on the lips, softly but passionately. "Max, I love you."

I realized that the night before,-was it the night before? I didn't even know what time it was-I had never said those three words back. I looked straight into his eyes and spoke. "Fang, I love you too."

He smiled slightly, and we kissed again. I didn't know why those words mattered; one of us would be gone in less than a week, and it would just leave the other with more pain. But they did, and I said them, and they were true. I couldn't love anyone else. It was only Fang.

We eventually broke apart, and sat there in comfortable silence. There was no need to talk, and nothing to talk about. I leaned against his shoulder and fell asleep.

* * *

Max. Every time I said her name, tingles went down her spine. To be in a world without her would be like…like…nothing I could ever imagine. Immensely painful, I'd guess.

After she declared her love for me, I felt happy, ironically. We were about to die (well, one of us was,) and all I could think about was that the woman I loved loved me back. As Max fell asleep, her beautiful head lolling upon my shoulder, I began to think. Max was probably stronger than me. She could fly faster and higher. She would probably win the "competition," and I would be exterminated because of it. I didn't mind that as much. I would do anything for Max, even die for her.

It wasn't that I was worried about. No, it was the fact that Max loved me. I knew that if she was gone, I would not be able to contain myself. The Flock wouldn't matter, nothing would matter. I probably would not make it a month-maybe not even a week. I'd make sure that the Flock was safe before I disappeared into oblivion, ready to finally be with Max.

But I wasn't Max. Would she do the same? Or would she stay with the Flock, but be an empty shell? Or would she heal? I would never know. I would do whatever would help Max, whether it meant dying or staying alive.

I guess I just had to let things happen that way they did.

Max sighed, and I stroked her hair, falling into a sleep where I hoped that my nightmares were better than reality.


	4. The Flock

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**Sorry for the shortness of the chapter...I personally don't like it, but I felt that the Flock needed to be seen. Enjoy!**Nudge stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She slowly sat up, noticing that no part of her body ached when she did so. _Hmmm, that's weird,_ Nudge thought. She glanced around the room quickly, and then gasped and did a double take.

* * *

The room was white everywhere-door, walls, floor, tables, you name it, it was white. A lab. Again. Her fist curled up and she pounded the floor. This was horrible! Then she noticed what her eyes had failed to see before-Iggy, Angel, and Gazzy were lying in various spots around the room, asleep but clearly not injured. Relief dominated her emotions-at least the Flock was okay. She was sure that Max and Fang would come in soon.

Iggy woke up and said dryly, "Well, we're doomed, I can see." The whiteness surrounding them let his eyes see the shadows, and he turned toward Nudge. "We're at the School, aren't we?"

"I'm not sure," Nudge replied. "I mean, if we _were_ at the School, wouldn't we be in cages? We were always put in those tiny dog crates-oh man, they hurt so much! I would never put a dog in them, just because they are so small!-oh and if we were at the School, wouldn't there be scientists, like, testing us or something? Yeah, so I don't think we are…" She let her thought trail off, finally noticing that she was rambling.

Iggy nodded and began to shake Gazzy awake, and Nudge did the same to Angel. Angel's golden curled lay sprawled around her like a halo, and Nudge couldn't help but notice that she looked like…an angel. Her eyes opened, and she smiled. "Hey Nudge."

"Oh my gosh, I am sooo glad that you're okay! I mean, we all are, which is pretty amazing, and-" Angel just glanced at her, and Nudge shut up. She helped Angel to her feet, and then slid over closer to Iggy.

"Is everyone alright?" Gazzy asked in a worried tone. They all nodded, but something was off. Where were Max and Fang? "Does anyone know where…?" he began, but was met with downcast faces. Not one of them knew where their leader and her second-in-command were. Then, a thought occurred to him. "Angel, can't you try and find them? You know, with your mind?"

"I can try," Angel declared, and then her face scrunched up in concentration, beginning to filter through thoughts.

_When's our lunch break? I'm starved._ Nope, that's not them. She tried again.

_Okay, so if I mix sodium and chlorine, I get salt? Man, this scientist stuff is easier than I thought!_ Nada. She attempted a third time.

_I guess I should go in and tell them now? But how am I supposed to tell them that one would have to die? I mean they obviously love each other…I can't just kill my own daughter! Or make her a killer! I'm not that evil, am I?_ Jeb's thoughts ran through her like a fire. He was obviously thinking about Max and Fang. But what was this stuff about one of them dying? That couldn't be true, could it?

Angel refocused her vision, and saw the Flock staring intently at her, eager to hear what she had learned. "Did you find them?" Iggy asked impatiently. "Are they okay?"

"Yeah, but not for long." Angel explained what she had heard to the Flock, and a unison gasp echoed throughout the room. Angry reactions soon followed. "Okay, I'm gonna go see if I can find out what Max and Fang are thinking. Maybe that wasn't true?" she said hopefully, but with much doubt. She focused her mind again, trying to find her beloved Max.

_Oh man, this can't even be possible, _Max's voice sounded in her head as if she was speaking right in front of her. _I might have to kill Fang? Or he might kill me? But…that can't be possible! Jeb has to be lying. The fate of the world can't lie in the hands of two hormonal teenagers that just happen to be in love with each other! This just can't be right…_ Angel tuned out Max's thoughts. She was so overwhelmed with her thoughts that she did not detect Angel's presence in her head. Well, at least Angel knew the facts. And Max and Fang had finally gotten together. Angel smiled faintly, and then concentrated again, this time trying to find Fang.

_If one of us has to die, it should be me,_ Fang was thinking. _She _is_ the leader of the Flock and I'd do anything for Max. But what if it's more painful to stay without me? Maybe I should stay…_ Angel could see him smirking, but could also feel his concern for Max. All he wanted was for her to be happy.

Angel quickly reported her findings to the Flock, an ominous silence filled the stark white room. Tears streamed down Nudge's face, and Gazzy was attempting to control himself. Iggy managed to stay calm, but it was obvious that he was upset.

"We can't live without Max or Fang. They're part of our family. We've got to do all we can to stop them!" Iggy suddenly announced. The Flock nodded and stood up. They began banging walls and moving furniture, desperate for a way out of the lab.

"Not today, kiddies," a voice said. They spun toward the door and saw two huge Erasers looming over them. "Your precious leader and her little boyfriend are gonna fight to the death. And you four are gonna watch."

All at once, the huge monsters raised tranquilizer guns, and black encased the room.


	5. Let the Games Begin!

**Sorry for the wait. I have pink eye, but apparently its not contagious. But I didn't go to school today, so I decided to update. YAY!**

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I woke up with my head against Fang's shoulder. His wings were wrapped around both of us protectively, keeping me warm. I turned toward his face and his eyes snapped open, only relaxing when he saw that it was me who had woke him up. I stood up and stretched my wings. Suddenly, the memories of last night's conversation with Jeb flooded back, and I fell to the ground, shocked and afraid.

"Max?" Fang's concerned voice came from above, and his face came into my view. "Are you okay?" He pulled me up onto his lap and stroked my hair from my face, which was rapidly getting wetter as tears erupted from my eyes.

"I was hoping that last night was just a dream," I whispered, almost to myself. But he heard me and pulled me tighter against his chest. We stayed like that for a while, not speaking or moving. It was almost…calming. But I knew it was too good to be true.

"Wakey wakey, birdies! You know the saying; the early bird gets the worm!" a cruel voice shouted as the doors swished open and five Erasers loomed. Fang and I immediately jumped into a fighting stance, but soon relaxed as the Erasers raised their guns and pointed them at us. "You two aren't escaping if _we_ have anything to say about it," the head Eraser said snidely. He then clapped his hands and the four minions descended upon us.

Two of them took a hold of me after I put up a slight struggle, and as I glanced over at Fang, I saw that he was captured too. They hoisted us up, as if we weighed nothing (actually, maybe to them, we did), and dragged us around the lab. We were oblivious to where we were going. I looked at Fang with my "Why aren't we trying to escape?" face, and he countered with his "Pay attention to where they're taking us so we can escape later _and_ find the flock," look. I sighed, knowing he was right, and began memorizing the trail that was soon evolving into a maze.

Suddenly, I squinted as a beam of light shone directly into my eyes. We were thrust through the door that the Eraser minions had previously opened, and I was startled to see that we were…_outside?_ Why would these scientists risk our escape? I soon got my answer.

"Don't bother flying away, chickies. While you were sleeping, we put some shock collars on you two." I looked down and was appalled to see a slim collar blinking back at me. "If you so much as stick a toe, oh sorry, _feather, _out of line, these babies have enough voltage to turn you into fried chicken!" He glowered in triumph, and I wondered whether he had any more bird puns to unleash on us.

He continued with his little speech, "You two _lovebirds_ are gonna be pitted against each other in some events. Like the Olympics, only deadlier." He grinned at this, and then added, "What can I say? Love is a battlefield."

Fang took my hand in mine, and I was at once comforted and distressed. How could I live without him? Maybe I couldn't. But I couldn't consider that thought right now. I squeezed his hand, and a slight smile appeared on his face. He gave me a peck on the cheek, which was enough to make my face burn with pleasure, and then turned to the speaker system.

The emcee's voice roared over the loudspeaker. "Okay, folks, take your seats! This is the show of the century!" The Flock shuffled in, and I was overjoyed to see that they were not harmed. At least Jeb had kept his word. Unfortunately, all Fang and I could do was smile and wave, as we were completely surrounded by Erasers.

"The first test will be speed and endurance. The contestants will have to race through this predesigned course. The first leg will be on foot, and only in the second leg will the contestants be permitted to fly." I couldn't believe this! This emcee was treating this as if this were simply a school sport! Maybe he had no idea what the steaks were, but Fang and I did, and we tensed up as the race was announced.

"Will the contestants please move to their stations?" the voice boomed, and Fang and I were immediately grabbed by gangs of Erasers and thrust in different directions. I fought my hardest and got just a glimpse of him; he was staring at me intently. His eyes were easy to read-he was scared, determined, nervous. I could tell that he wanted to win and that his competitive side was kicking in. But I could also see that he also wanted _me_ to win, because he only wanted me to be happy. That's funny; I was just thinking the same thing about him.

The Erasers pushed me to a walled area. "Hey, stop pushing, this is precious cargo!" I screamed at their retreating backs. I glanced at my surroundings and I soon realized that this was the course. My heart sank as I realized that I would not be able to see Fang as we raced. The Flock was dead silent-they didn't want either of us to lose. Then a whistle blew shrilly somewhere to my left, and I was off.

I ran as fast as I could. I dashed around corners and darted through obstacles. As the minutes turned into hours, my endurance began waning. _How long_ is _this course?_ I thought to myself. Finally, a marker came up. "Leg Two," it read, "you may use your wings at this point." Panting heavily, I whipped out my wings and soared into the air.

Dismayed, I saw the tip of Fang's feathers above the walls and realized that he was flying _sideways_. The walls were too tight to fly normally, which kind of put a damper on my super-speed. I turned my body horizontally and tried to go into hyper-drive, but I could only go a few mph faster than I had normally. _At least this leg is straight_, I mused as I saw a dot of light at the end. I was so close. I upped my speed and flew out into the light.

"Aaaaaaaaand we have ourselves a winner! Maximum Ride has won the race!" the emcee's jubilant echoed above me. I saw Fang's dark form retreat from the maze just minutes later, and he ran over to me. I had already collapsed on the ground, too tired to even speak. How could he possibly have the energy to run?

"Max? Max, are you alright? You don't look too good…" Fang's voice drifted off into nothingness as I closed my eyes. I heard footsteps of Erasers coming to get me, and Fang's growl of "Stay AWAY from her!" His arms lifted me up, and I felt his ragged breath on my neck.

I felt so…weak. I had won the race, yet he was the one holding me up? He carried me back into the icy coolness of our cell, and he set my head on his lap. I fell asleep to the sound of his breathing.


	6. Weighty Matters

**Hello Starshine! The Earth says HELLO!**

**Okay that was from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and its cool, kay? Sorry for the long wait, but the marking period was ending/I was lazy/I had no inspiration, ect. Yeah, so enjoy, and if you can REVIEW, that'd be awesome. But read and enjoy!**

**Oh and if its a bit confusing, it should be cleared up by the next chapter. Hopefully.**

I was dimly aware of Fang's strong, lean arms holding me as he trudged back to our cell, guards in tow. I opened my eyes, previously closed simply because it was too much exertion to keep them open, and squinted at the brightness. The light reflected off of the suspiciously clean white walls, and I was relieved when we entered our still white but less light filled room. I heard an Eraser grumble about some "weird scientist," and "visiting," and "I don't know why we're bothering, one'll be gone by the end of the week," and then the door swished open and four pairs of footsteps pounded on the linoleum tile.

"Max! Fang!" Angel screamed, and I looked weakly toward her, still being held by Fang. He gently set me down on the floor, and I swayed but did not fall. Both of us were immediately embraced in the world's best group hug, and I couldn't help but be happy. Even for just a second, my family was together and happy, and that's all that I could ever want. Total was spinning around and nipping at our feet, saying "Hey guys, maybe we four-legged friends want in this hug too?" Iggy scooped them up, and we stayed like that for a while.

After hugging for minutes, but what only seemed like seconds to me, I pulled away and set myself on the floor. The Flock followed suit. A silence followed, broken by-who else?-Nudge.

"I'm so glad that Jeb made sure that we can stay with you two. Well, at least until…" Was the Nudge Channel off? Already? Ironically, I had wished millions of times for this moment, but never under these circumstances.

"So you two are just going along with Jeb? Like you can _trust him_?" Iggy was skeptical, of that I could tell. I had to say, I agreed with him. What if they just wanted one of us out of the way, so that they could use the Flock to their advantage?

"For now," Fang replied, his voice betraying no emotion. Only I could see the anxiety in his eyes. Angel scooted closer to me and plopped down on my lap. I began stroking her golden locks, limp with all the dirt from the capture just a day-was it only a day?-ago.

"But how can we stay together without you two? You're like our parents; we can't stick without you guys," Gazzy cried. My little trooper. He put up with so much, yet complained so little. Tears welled up in my eyes as I was overcome with the fact that I may never see my family this happy again.

"C'mon guys, we can't just give up! Max and Fang are _not_ going to die, and we can be sure of it." A wide smile was spreading across his dirt streaked face. He had a plan. As eager as I was to hear it, I couldn't risk putting the only people that I had ever really and truly loved in danger.

"Guys, I don't-" I began, just as Gazzy said, "Let's hear it!"

Iggy explained his plan in full detail, and with each word, I felt more and more comforted. No one would need to be hurt after all. Well, unless the scientists didn't corporate, but he had an idea for that too. He had actually thought this true, and as far as I could tell, this was the best shot that Fang and I had to get out of here alive.

I looked at Fang and saw that he saw the same thing that I saw-hope. We could get out of this. Suddenly, I was jubilant, and happiness flowed through my veins. I embraced my Flock in another group hug, and we settled back to the floor.

Once we sensed that it was getting late, the little ones snuggled closer to Fang and I. We chatted about different things-the weather, how much evil scientists get on our nerves, whether we should go back to school or not-until one by one, Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, Total, Akila, and finally Iggy fell asleep. I snuggled against Fang's warm chest and watched my family sleep peacefully.

"Do you think that Iggy's plan will work?" Fang murmured into my ear. His voice sent shivers up my spine, and his hands circling on my back were making me crazy. I leaned in closer and turned my face to his.

"I know it will," I stated confidently, and I touched my lips to his. He pulled me even closer to him, until there was no space between us, and deepened the kiss. I eagerly agreed, kissing him until we feared we would wake up the kids. Now that would have led us into an awkward situation.

As we were being dragged outside, I felt more and more confident that our plan would work. I was overjoyed-Fang and I could both stay with the Flock! Only a few things had to fall into place, and we were going to make sure that they all happened.

"Weeeeeelcome back, folks, for the second event in the Mutant Olympic Games! Today's event will be a show of strength and perseverance. Are you ready to show some muscle?" Yeesh. The emcee was really having a ball with this event. You could practically see the excitement beaming from his matted fur coat.

At that instant, I was practically shoved into a corner by about 10 Erasers. I knew better than to fight back, and saw that Fang was pushed into the opposite corner of me. Next to us were some weights-but not just your average, everyday 50 lbs. or so. No, these were about 250-850 lb. weights. And Fang and I were expected to _lift_ these?

"Okay, please take your seats because the lift-off is about to begin! Get it? Life off? When they're flying, they take a lift-off, and now they're-mmmph!" It seems that someone else was getting as annoyed with the announcer as I was. I chuckled to myself and braced myself for some heavy lifting.

Both Fang and I easily lifted all the way up to 550 lbs. That's when I started getting tired. _I can't give up yet,_ I thought, _they might suspect something. _I kept lifting as hard as I could. When I caught a glance of Fang, I could see the perspiration beading down his forehead, his ebony hair plastered to his hair. He looked absolutely beautiful-and also flat out tired. I decided enough was enough.

We were at the final weight-850 lbs. Fang lifted his with some difficulty. And then it was my turn. I gripped the rod, pulled upward…

And fell face down on the floor, the weight under me. I had no idea what I had done, but Fang had won the contest.

"Well, folks, it seems that Fang has won this one. Last event tomorrow, and it should be a showstopper!" Fang staggered over to me and leaned down so that his face was just above mine. I rolled toward him.

"Good job, Max. Hopefully tomorrow will go just as well." Fang whispered in my ear before getting up and yelling "Max, are you okay?"

I grinned to myself and got up. "Fine, Fang, thanks." The Flock came and joined us and, sharing secret grins, we walked back to our cell.

Part one of the plan had worked with no flaws. If Part two worked just as well, Fang and I would be home free.


	7. Escaping Equations

**Ok, I am sooooo sorry that I haven't been on for at least a month...I have excuses, but I wouldn't want to bore you. This chappie is so short (I didn't realize) and I don't think it's very good, but feel free to have your own opinion! I'm experiancing a bit of writer's block, and so I will try to update soon, but no guarentees.**

**Read, review, and ENJOY!!!**

**Oh and the Charles Dickens refrence? I have to read it in English class and I decided to use actually literature in my story. Yay for classics!**

**Disclaimer: Me no own Maximum Ride at all. Nada. Nothing. And I always forget to do that, so maybe some of you thought I did. No. I don't.**

As we were marched out of our cells for the last time, I couldn't help but notice the sun gleaming into the courtyard, lighting up everything outside. _Could this be the last time I see the sun?_ I thought, terrified. Then I composed myself-of course our plan would work. I still couldn't get rid of that nagging sense of worry deep in the pit of my stomach, but I plastered a confident smile on my face and turned to face my Flock.

"Don't worry, you guys, Fang and I'll be fine." I said, and then leaded closer, hushing my voice to the quietest whisper. "Remember the plan." I then was lead off by guards to my area of the competition. I was placed in front of a podium. _Weird_, I thought. _Where are the obstacle courses? The hundred pound weights? The torture devices?_

I glanced at Fang, standing a few feet away at a podium of his own, wearing the same mixture of confusion, worry, and hope. I grinned at him, and the smile he gave me lit up my world. And then my world turned dark again when the emcee made his announcement.

"Ladies and gents, the final round of Bird-Kid VS Bird-Kid is about to begin! Please silence all cell phones, children, evil torture devices, and anything else that might make noise, because this round is sure to _add up_ to be an interesting match! That's right, folks, today's match is…education!"

Crap. They're testing us on things that we _don't even know?!?_ How are Fang and I ever going to get out of this one? He's always been a faster learner than me…and the scientists know that. What if our plan doesn't work?

"Annnnnnd let's begin! Max, our first little egg of knowledge goes to you! What is the area of this figure?" A giant blueprint appeared on my podium, and my jaw dropped. How am _I_ supposed to find _that?_ If these were the questions, this would be harder than I thought.

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After seven hours of tests, Fang and I were both tired-and tied. The emcee was frustrated and seemed to be running out of questions, which was good for Fang and I.

"Ok, we have Max and Fang both at 27 right. This is the last question! If Max get's this one right, she wins the tournament! C'mon chickie, here's your question-How many words are in the first sentence of Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities,"?

Perfect. How was I supposed to know the answer? So I answered.

"I don't know, sir."

The emcee seemed perplexed as to what to do next. But Fang and I weren't. This was all part of our plan. We had both won the game.

"Sorry, suckers, but you forgot one thing-that was the last question, and Max and I _tied_. We _both_ won." Fang whispered ferociously as he threw himself at the emcee. The rest of the Flock attacked the guards, who were too stunned to do anything. I attacked everything in my sight that didn't have feathers, which was pretty much everything.

"U and A, guys! NOW!" I screamed as the crowd went into complete pandemonium, screaming and running everything. We had to get out, or someone would alert whoever ran this place. I jumped up and snapped out my wings, seeing the rest of the Flock do the same. We flew up, 5 bird kids and their pet dogs reaching the bright blue sky where we belonged. Wait, 5? I did a triple head count and noticed that Nudge was conspicuously missing.

"Fang!" I screamed into the wind, and he rushed over, brushing my brown wing with his black. "Nudge is gone! They have her and I have to go back!"

"Max, you can't," Fang said with such certainty that I was sure I couldn't. But I knew I had to. Nudge was a part of the Flock, and you can't leave a family member behind, just as you would never willingly cut off your leg, or neck, or ear (well, maybe some of us would. But not me.)

"I'll be back. Don't worry, go and meet in our meeting place." I meant, of course, the cave where Fang and I had first…kissed. He knew, and nodded, giving me a solemn glance before leaning in and pecking me on the lips. Too good to last, it was over in a flash, and the Flock flew on, crying out "Goodbyes," and looking back almost as frequently as they looked forward.

And with that, I dove back into the place that I had just escaped, the place that had almost taken my life, and was probably planning to try to again.


	8. Crash Landing

**Sorry for the wait. Read, Review, and Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride.**

I rocketed down to Earth where, far below, Nudge stood terrified in the hands of a white coat. He had hooked her wings together with some kind of giant, unbreakable rubber band and had gagged her so that she couldn't warn me. I snorted. _How typical, _I thought. _Pick on the young ones to get Fang and me to _willingly _bring ourselves back here._

I skidded to a halt right in front of the now-terrified white coat. As I was about to fight him for Nudge, Jeb came out of the shadows.

"Now Max, we wouldn't want to do that, would we?" Anger was seeping out my face in huge red blotches, and my breathing became more labored as I attempted to control my rage. Attempted being the key word.

"Cut the crap, will you Jeb? Just give me Nudge back and I'll do what you want." Nudge's eyes grew wide and she quickly and harshly shook her head, but I ignored her for the moment. "I know you need me to complete your plan or whatever, so just let her go and I'll come with you."

Jeb's face clearly displayed shock-he thought I would be a much tougher nut to crack-but he obediently clicked a button on Nudge's wing-sling-thing and it fell to the floor. Nudge ripped her gag out and immediately punched the lights out of the white coat that had kept her captive. "Nudge, whatever you do, make sure you _get out of here_. No. Matter. What." I gave her my leader face as I said this, so she knew I was serious, and she nodded slowly.

I said all this as I was racing towards Jeb, ready to kick him where it hurts. I made a roundhouse kick to his chest, but he caught my foot with his hand. Damn, he's fast. I struggled to fight free, even when I saw the Erasers swarming around us, aiming tranquilizer darts at pretty much every part of my body.

"Nudge, U and A, NOW! Go to where we planned to meet!" I screamed as loud as I could. "I'll be right behind you." That last part was a lie, and we both knew it.

I heard a loud beep from the gun, and felt the sharp sensation of the tranquilizer needle sink into my shoulder. As I fell limp into my captor's arms, I sought solace in seeing a small form flying up in the sky. Nudge got away.

I breathed a sigh of relief as unconsciousness took over my being.

I woke up in yet _another _white room. Gosh, don't these guys have an ounce of creativity? The only difference between this and the other rooms that I had woken up in was that there were crowds of people swarming around me. Apparently, I was a celebrity around here.

One face stood out prominently in the sea of wolfish Eraser faces and nerdy scientist faces. Jeb. He had knelt on the floor right in front of me, and was saying something.

"Max, can you hear me?" When I responded with a nod, he dismissed the crowd of people with a wave of his hand. Guess we know who has the power here.

"So, Max, I guess you already know why you're here." This was obviously difficult for Jeb to do-to kill his own daughter. His paled, blue eyes were locked on his worn out sneakers as he shuffled his feet across the bleached linoleum with a _squeak_. "If it's any consolation, you're saving the lives of millions of people, not to mention Fang's life. If there was any other way to solve this dilemma, we would have done it in a heartbeat." I scowled at him, but a part of me believed him when he said this. He sighed and continued.

"You were never the one I wanted gone, Max. You're my daughter, even if I'm not always the best father to you." I snorted at that, but let him go on. "This is the hardest thing I have ever done, but it has to be done."

I stared at him, this man who had fathered me to four years only to abandon the Flock and turn against us. He truly did care, now, and he regretted that he had to do this. I almost felt…sorry for him.

"Okay, Jeb, I get it. But, I'm getting my questions answered before I die. Think of it as a last request, kay?" His eyes finally met mine, and with horror I saw that they were beginning to fill with clear liquid. He was crying! He simply nodded, waiting for my questionnaire.

"First off, what was going to happen if Fang and I could…live? Why isn't there another way to solve this? And doesn't Fang have to kill me to end all this?" The questions just fell off the tip of my tongue. "And what company are you working for, anyway, Jeb? I thought you were the good guys."

Jeb sighed indignantly. "I told you Max, we _are_ the good guys. If you and Fang had continued to live as you did, one of you would have eventually reached your full potential and gotten all of your powers. The other would, as well, but in a twisted way. You see, the world can never have two heroes, but it can have a hero and a villain. To keep the world in balance, an evil force must be created with every good, and vice versa. And that is why this is the only way to save the Earth. Eventually, one of you would have killed the other, and if the malicious one prevailed, the Earth would be in ruins. This way, one of you can continue on with the Flock and save the world.

"As for Fang killing you, you assumed that on your own. We don't want this to be any more painful than it has to be, Max." At this, Jeb stopped, and his body started shaking with the silent sobs he was desperately trying to hold in. Now, I'm not so good with emotional stuff, so I just kinda sat there while Jeb grieved over losing his daughter and all that.

Once he composed himself, he put on a false smile and turned to me again. "Okay, Max, are you ready?" So soon? I couldn't even say goodbye to the Flock…to Fang…

I had to stay strong. I would not cry. Maximum Ride does not cry. Well, not normally, but under these circumstances, I think some waterworks were acceptable. I freely let my tears flow as Jeb led me to my doom. Was the hallway getting longer, or was it just me?

Jeb opened the door for me. How polite; showing some chivalry for his daughter, who happens to be condemned to death. That's just great.

Before I disappeared into the room, unsure of what would happen but sure of the outcome, Jeb whispered something in my ear. "Max, now you can finally save the world."

* * *

Fang's Point of View

I sat at the mouth of the cave, my legs dangling over the side of the steep cliff. I strained my eyes out into the horizon, wishing, hoping that two figures would be flapping their way toward the Flock's hiding place. It had already been 4 hours, plenty of time for Max to rescue Nudge and be on their way here.

_She will come, _I kept telling myself. Honestly, I think that's the only reason why I didn't go insane. Sure, I was worried about Nudge, but that wasn't who Jeb was after. Nudge didn't have my heart caught in her hands, she wasn't my soul mate, the one who understood everything with just a single glance; Max was. And I didn't know if I could handle losing her.

I heard footsteps, and a lithe figure sat down on the hard rock next to me. Angel grasped my hand.

"Fang, you have to be strong. For us." she whispered into his ear. Suddenly, she sat up straight. "Nudge!"

I saw her dark body floating toward us, but no matter how hard I looked, there was only one form. Max wasn't with her.

As soon as she alighted onto the entrance of the cave, I grilled her. "Where's Max?" She looked at me guiltily and swallowed.

"Fang…she told me to go. And leave her there. I think she wanted to be the one…to go. She felt that she needed to, to, you know, save the world. And I tried to convince her, but she just kept telling me to go, and I didn't want her to get mad at me, cuz you know how she gets when she's mad, and oh, Fang, I'm so sorry!" With these last words, Nudge burst into tears, and I remembered that she was still only 11, still just a kid.

Iggy gathered all the kids up for a comforting group hug, but I just couldn't join. I needed to handle this alone. I stormed back into the cave where Max and I had had our first kiss. Maybe, if all this hadn't happened, we could have been something. I sighed, all the moments that I could have taken a chance but didn't regretted.

_I'll never have her again, _I suddenly realized, and hot anger coursed through my veins. I pounded a fist in frustration and felt hot tears gather around the corners of my eyes. I didn't know how Max did it, keeping it together in front of the Flock. I couldn't keep this inside of me.

Maybe Max wasn't gone yet. Maybe there was a chance that she was still alive, and there would still be a moment for me to see life in those gorgeous chocolate brown eyes one more time before they became dark. Maybe I could tell her I loved her one more time and kiss her soft lips before her last breath was drawn through them. Maybe I could convince her that the Flock needed her more than me.

Maybe there was still hope.

**Enjoy? Then read and review! Pwetty pwease??? And new chapter coming before I go back to school! (hopefully :])**

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	9. Remembering

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Read, review, and enjoy! I do not own Maximum Ride.

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Fang's Point of View

As the Flock fell asleep one by one, I waited impatiently for the chance to escape. I was going to save Max. She was more important to the Flock anyway, more important to the world. Who was I to stop her from being with her "children," as she fondly called the Flock?

I glanced behind me and saw that everyone was sound asleep. Good. I pulled a note that I had written out of my jacket pocket and stuck it under a rock, and then took off into the night.

I was going to save Max. Even if it killed me.

* * *

Max's Point of View

"Max, now you can finally save the world."

Jeb's words rang in my ears as I entered the stark white room. I'm finally fulfilling my destiny of saving mankind, while sacrificing myself. I thought it was kind of unfair-I mean, I'd like to live too, ya know! But then again, what hero's life _is _fair? They're always flying around, saving people, and risking their lives.

Still, maybe this wasn't so bad. I was saving my family, and Fang. And millions of other people who will be saved by Fang.

All these thoughts raced through my head in a millisecond, and I knew I was doing the right thing. I could do this. I had to be strong

Jeb placed me on a cot in the middle of the room. It was actually quite comfortable, surprisingly. And then Jeb pulled out a needle.

"Max, I'm so sorry about all of this, really." Jeb spoke, and I believed him. His misty eyes were filled with regret and sorrow, and his hand was clenched around the needle so tightly that it turned a shocking white.

"I get it, Jeb. I know I have to go. It'll make everything right." I replied, and his eyes glimmered a bit with pride-his baby girl knew her place in the world.

"This'll only hurt a bit, Max. We tried to make this as…easy…as possible for you, to minimize your suffering." He closed his eyes and let a few tears fall. "Goodbye, Maximum Ride." And he jabbed the needle into my shoulder.

As Jeb left the room, I felt a shooting sensation in my shoulder. He obviously put the needle there so I would have more time to say goodbye…in my head. Where to start? Well, Jeb, I guess, because he was the last one I saw. I have to say; after all of his cruelty to us, he really was trying to look out for us, in his own way.

Total and Akila were an interesting pair. I would miss Total's, um, cultured mind, and his and Akila's love for each other. I wish I had had something like that.

Mom and Ella…they were awesome to me. I think I'm going to miss their chocolate chip cookies the most. I chuckled to myself, but then stopped-I didn't have enough oxygen to breathe right, let alone laugh.

Gazzy and Iggy, my bombers. I'll miss their sense of humor and their protectiveness of the Flock. I can only hope that Fang won't let them make those fertilizer bombs again; they smelled horrible!

I lost all feeling in my legs. Guess that poison's moving fast. I continued with my mental goodbyes. Nudge was next. Her incessant chatter would annoy me to no end, but I'm defiantly going to remember that most about her. That and her sense of fashion. I let out a mental sigh. That kid and clothes…maybe she could go somewhere with that.

Angel. My baby. We were so alike in looks, that she _could _be my baby. She was always my favorite in the Flock, always knew what to say to me and what to do to make me feel better. Even with her powers getting creepier and more developed, she was always a sweetheart. I would probably miss her most…except for….

Fang. When I thought his name, my heart gave a lurch, though that may have been the poison seeping through my veins, slowly shutting down my body. Fang. I loved him. There was no denying that, no matter how many times I did. He loved me too and that made me feel better than anything in the world. It didn't matter that I was dying now, now that I had finally experienced true love. I knew that I was leaving the Flock in his care, and as my last wish, I wished that Fang would have the strength to carry on and protect them without me.

While I thought all of this, my mind somehow conjured up the spitting image of him _right in front of me._ Pseudo-Fang rushed in through the door, and, seeing my nearly lifeless body (the poison had been in my bloodstream for about 2 minutes now), broke down. Tears were streaming down his beautiful face, as he screamed, "No! Max, it was supposed to be me!"

This fake Fang-damn, he looked so much like the real one-rushed over to my bed and climbed on top of me, his nearly black eyes locking onto my fading brown ones. "Max, I love you," he said, as if it was the most important thing in the world. And right then, it was. I leaned up with all of my strength, but couldn't even lift my head up. Fang, sensing my struggle, pressed his lips against mine. They felt loving but urgent, but electrified my body all the same. Kissing Fang…it could have been my adrenaline rush, my antidote, if I wasn't already dying.

When he surfaced to breathe, I finally let out what I needed to say. "Fang, stay strong for the Flock. Goodbye…" and with that, all the energy left my body, and blackness encased me. Even if that wasn't the real Fang, I knew he could hear me. The last thing I remember is Fang shouting for me to wake up, that he wanted to take my place, that he loved me. But it was too late…I was gone.

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Fang's Point of View

She was gone. I couldn't believe it. Lumpy water droplets fell like huge balloons, exploding upon impact with Max's beautiful and lifeless form. "Max, why'd you have to do it, huh? It could've been me there. You know I'd rather it be me. I'm nothing without you, Max."

Jeb came in then-apparently, he was collecting her body. He wasn't surprised to see me there. "Fang, I know how difficult this must be for you," he began, but I wasn't even listening.

"You killed Max! Why didn't you take me instead?" I cried, my throat raw. Jeb just looked at me with eyes that seemed haunted by ghosts.

"Because you won the final test. You were strong enough to not go back." And with that he took Max's body and left. I sat on the bed, not comprehending what Jeb had just said. They kept me alive because Max was "weak" enough to go and rescue Nudge? That's ridiculous. But true. And now I was left alone. I had to stay strong though. Max needed me to.

I sat in that room while silent sobs wracked through my body. Max was gone. I could never kiss her soft lips, never hold her hand, never hear her voice again.

Jeb came back then, holding a jar. "We felt you should have this." He said simply, and handed me it. It was ornately crafted, with golden wings on the side. Inside, I assumed, were Max's ashes.

She was really gone. I nodded my consent and then got up to leave. I flew back to the Flock, the golden jar that was Max the only thing that was keeping me tied to the Earth.

**Enjoy? I'm just cranking out the chapters now...I may have another one coming soon! Reviews would be nice :) Oh, and this isn't the end; there'll be at least one more chapter, maybe more...**


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